Why Has Hunting in 2009 Been So Bad?

Deer harvest estimates have been popping up across the Midwest and most preliminary results have been rather disturbing. Illinois hunters failed to take out 100,000 deer for the first time in a decade during gun season. Michigan’s firearm harvest is reported to be down 10-20% across the state and as bad as 30% in some areas. Wisconsin ‘s hunters fared even worse as they reported a 29% decline across the state and in some areas in Northern Wisconsin harvest totals have dropped as much as by 62%!!!

So what in the world is going on?

Explanations I’ve heard include the excessive standing corn, warmer than usual temps and questionable deer management policies across the states. So I have my own opinions, but what do you guys think the problem’s been?

Things were definitely slow this year. I think the weather and lack of hunting pressure contributed to this.

JB

Tough winter kill in some areas
POOR predator control in areas (most)
Clueless State biologist who do not know how to properly manage their deer herds.
It is all about QDM!
JB

Mark Kenyon

I definitely agree with you on all of these points to some degree. It’s going to be really interesting to see how state biologists react to this year’s harvest.

Predators are definitely hurting our population up in Northern MI where I’m hunting too. Bears, cougars and yotes I’m sure are knocking out a good number of fawns every spring.

Dan Shifflett

Hunting Southern Indiana is horrible, between EHD and out of control DNR doe tags they are almost invisible,,, you think this year bad,, just wait, I havent seen a button buck all year, Southern Illinois is better but down enough that the locals are un happy.